IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v17y2020i12p4529-d375499.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Physical Activity Levels of Chilean Children in a National School Intervention Programme. A Quasi-Experimental Study

Author

Listed:
  • Fernando Rodríguez-Rodríguez

    (IRyS Group, School of Physical Education, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Valparaíso 2340025, Chile)

  • Carlos Cristi-Montero

    (IRyS Group, School of Physical Education, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Valparaíso 2340025, Chile)

  • José Castro-Piñero

    (GALENO Research Group, Department of Physical Education, Faculty of Education Sciences, University of Cadiz, 11003 Cadiz, Spain
    Biomedical Research and Innovation Institute of CaÅLdiz (INiBICA) Research Unit, 11009 Cadiz, Spain)

Abstract

Background . Recess is a great opportunity to interrupt sedentary behaviour and increase moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) in schoolchildren. This quasi-experimental study aimed to compare the levels of physical activity (PA) during the school day of children in a school intervention programme vs. those in a control group, and to determine compliance with MVPA recommendations. Methods. A sample of 154 schoolchildren (6–12 years old) was obtained from several schools (70 with the intervention and 84 controls). This programme was structured with a duration of 90 min/session and performed three times/week. PA levels were recorded with triaxial accelerometers during the school day: during recess, during a PA session or physical education session (PE), and during lunchtime. No pre-intervention evaluation was performed. Results. The MVPA of the control group was higher than that of the intervention group during the first recess ( p < 0.001). None of the groups complied with the recommendations for steps during the PA or PE sessions. During the PA session, sedentary time was lower and MVPA was higher, in the intervention group than in the control group. Fifty percent of the children from the intervention group complied with the MVPA recommendations, vs. 22.7% of those in the control group. Conclusions. The schoolchildren in the intervention group performed more MVPA than those in the control group. Future interventions could include other periods, such as recess and lunchtime, which are opportunities for improving the MVPA levels of schoolchildren.

Suggested Citation

  • Fernando Rodríguez-Rodríguez & Carlos Cristi-Montero & José Castro-Piñero, 2020. "Physical Activity Levels of Chilean Children in a National School Intervention Programme. A Quasi-Experimental Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(12), pages 1-13, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:12:p:4529-:d:375499
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/12/4529/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/12/4529/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Lexie R. Beemer & Tiwaloluwa A. Ajibewa & Gabriel DellaVecchia & Rebecca E. Hasson, 2019. "A Pilot Intervention Using Gamification to Enhance Student Participation in Classroom Activity Breaks," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(21), pages 1-11, October.
    2. Dorota Groffik & Erik Sigmund & Karel Frömel & František Chmelík & Petra Nováková Lokvencová, 2012. "The contribution of school breaks to the all-day physical activity of 9- and 10-year-old overweight and non-overweight children," International Journal of Public Health, Springer;Swiss School of Public Health (SSPH+), vol. 57(4), pages 711-718, August.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Jihoon Kim & Darla M. Castelli, 2021. "Effects of Gamification on Behavioral Change in Education: A Meta-Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(7), pages 1-13, March.
    2. Erik Sigmund & Dagmar Sigmundová & Zdenek Hamrik & Andrea Madarásová Gecková, 2014. "Does Participation in Physical Education Reduce Sedentary Behaviour in School and throughout the Day among Normal-Weight and Overweight-to-Obese Czech Children Aged 9–11 Years?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 11(1), pages 1-18, January.
    3. Erik Sigmund & Dagmar Sigmundová, 2013. "Longitudinal 2-Year Follow-up on the Effect of a Non-Randomised School-Based Physical Activity Intervention on Reducing Overweight and Obesity of Czech Children Aged 10–12 Years," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 10(8), pages 1-17, August.
    4. Luca Petrigna & Federico Roggio & Bruno Trovato & Marta Zanghì & Giuseppe Musumeci, 2022. "Are Physically Active Breaks in School-Aged Children Performed Outdoors? A Systematic Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(7), pages 1-12, March.
    5. Romina Gisele Saucedo-Araujo & Palma Chillón & Isaac J. Pérez-López & Yaira Barranco-Ruiz, 2020. "School-Based Interventions for Promoting Physical Activity Using Games and Gamification: A Systematic Review Protocol," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(14), pages 1-11, July.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:12:p:4529-:d:375499. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.